JETS’ ANNOUNCE DT JOSH EVANS RETIREMENT FROM PRO FOOTBALL
New York City – The New York Jets announced today the retirement of defensive tackle Josh Evans. The announcement was made by Jets’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Terry Bradway.
Evans, 6-3, 280 pounds, would have been entering his 10th NFL season in 2005. He re-signed with the Jets on Aril 5, 2005 while recovering from a back surgery that cost him the final 15 regular season games of the 2004 season. Evans underwent surgery and has cited his slow recovery from the back injury as the major reason behind his retirement.
“I just felt like it was time,” Evans, 32, said. “Physically I wasn’t able to do a lot of the things that I used to be able to do.” “I feel like I’m going out on a good note,” Evans continued. “I played in a Super Bowl and had a great game. That was a dream of mine since I could remember dreaming. I was blessed enough to experience that. There’s 100 million people growing up wishing to experience something like that, and fortunately for me, I got that chance.”
The native of Langdale, AL played in 93 regular season games throughout his career and made 53 starts, while accounting for 301 tackles, 21.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. He entered the league in 1995 as a rookie free agent with the Houston Oilers (1995-1996), moved with the team to Tennessee (1997-2001) and joined the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2002.